How Blockchain Innovation is Addressing the Digital Divide in Lat…

When people think of human rights, things like equality, free speech, or freedom from discrimination generally come to mind. Although having access to the internet may be a surprising mention, it was in fact stated as a human right over a decade ago in a United Nations 2011report. 

Blockchain For Human Rights

When considering how deeply the modern world is ingrained with the internet, it stands to reason that people unable to communicate online are put at a massive disadvantage. Whether it be for social communication, or business reasons the availability of the internet falls well within the confines of basic equality. 

Blockchain technology has been proposed as a potential remedy for a variety of human rights shortcomings in the last several years. From access to voting or identity-based service delivery to land rights protections and supply chain traceability. Now, new leaders in the telecommunications sector are using blockchain technology to address this long-standing digital divide. 

Covid Exposes ‘Digital Divide’ in Latin America

Industry leaders in the telecommunications industry focus almost exclusively on their established revenue streams, taking huge profits from their user base in already developed regions. These companies prioritize short-term profits through network contracts and additional services rather than expanding to untapped markets with huge potential. 

One of the most affected regions is Latin America with an estimated 244 million people currently living without internet access. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to expose this digital divide in the region, which has spurred some governments into implementing Initiatives to boost internet access and get more people online in 2023.  

Although helping the region record a 33.7% growth in internet users from 2021 to 2022, these initiatives are not enough for countries like Ecuador, where up to a third of people still lack access to the internet. Fortunately for the people of urban and rural Ecuador some new companies and leveraging blockchain technology to offer exciting, and innovative solutions

Decentralized Innovations Offer a Solution

Traditional Internet networks are limited by the stationary Wi-Fi towers that they must install for their radio frequencies for internet users. A new Florida-based Blockchain telecommunications provider called Wayru is paving the way for a new type of internet network, one that gives much more power to the users. 

Wayru has designed its own Genesis WiFi device that thousands of users can own to become an integral part of the Wayru network. Wayru is an incentivized, distributed, multi-layered internet network that offers people the chance to benefit from simply using the service, or to become much more involved with the network through the Genesis devices or token pools.  

The Genesis devices are ‘plug & play style WiFihubs that can be operated from anywhere like everyday households, businesses, or community spaces. People without their own internet connection can tap into the hubs via the Wayruapp, while operators earn WRU cryptocurrency for playing their part in facilitating the decentralized network. 

 Wayru Founder and CEO Charvel Chedrauistated that:

“We propose an alternative to the current centralized system federating small players and onboarding entrepreneurs and community leaders to help close the digital gap while ensuring full decentralization of power over the Internet.”

Wayru also enables people in emerging countries to access the internet through one of their own Hotspots. The Hotspots are grouped into pools of 1,000 offering WiFi access across the region for millions of unconnected people. Interested parties can further benefit by investing in the WayruHotspots by buying ‘Pool tokens’ from Wayru. Once the pools are live, token holders will start to receive WRU, with the more active hotspots returning more rewards. 

Massive Potential

Wayru is already making strides with its partnership with the World council of trade unions (Woccu) and is in talks about further collaboration with the UN. Having already launched in Ecuador, Wayru intends to expand through Latin America initially and then to the global market. The initial deployment in the heavily populated cities of Quito and Guayaquil is already having a positive impact on thousands of residents in surrounding communities. 

Installing and maintaining a decentralized network in Ecuador is the first step to addressing the digital divide in Latin America. With its open, accessible network design, and huge emphasis on getting back what you put in, Wayru is well on the way to achieve its goal of helping communities create and maintain their own networks to achieve true internet independence. 

The Wayru presale ends on Sunday the 11th of September and offers interested parties an opportunity to get involved with this exciting leap forward to the world of decentralized telecommunications.

 Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.